Hundreds of patients in England with a rare form of eye cancer are being offered a groundbreaking drug by the NHS that kills cancer cells and increases their chances of survival.
In a guideline published on Tuesday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) gave the green light to tebentafusp for patients whose uveal melanoma cannot be surgically removed or has spread to other parts of the body.
Tebentafusp, sold under the brand name Kimmtrak, is the first treatment of its kind for uveal melanoma, which develops from cells in the middle layer of the eye known as the uvea. The disease is thought to affect between 500 and 600 people in Britain every year.
Patients need a blood test to determine if they have the genetic markers that make them suitable for the treatment.
Prof. Peter Johnson, clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: “This type of melanoma is difficult to treat once it has spread in the body, so it’s great news that the NHS can now offer this groundbreaking treatment, giving people the opportunity to extend their lives and offer them valuable extra time with their family and friends.”
Tebentafusp works by attaching to proteins on the surface of cancer cells and T cells, a type of white blood cell. This helps the immune system recognize and kill cancer cells, slowing the growth of the disease.
Research shows that the chance of surviving three years after starting tebentafusp is 27%, compared to 18% with the current standard treatment, namely checkpoint inhibitors, a form of immunotherapy. Median survival on tebentafusp was 21.6 months, compared with 16.9 months.
Joanne Foster, 57, from Newcastle, who was diagnosed with uveal melanoma in 2013, welcomed the green light for the treatment. Last year she was offered tebentafusp through a compassionate access program after the cancer spread to her lungs and kidneys.
“Living with uveal melanoma is both physically and mentally exhausting,” she said. “I’ve had my eye removed for over a decade and I’ve been in treatment for over a decade, where the uncertainty of not knowing what’s around the corner is incredibly difficult, especially as there have been no treatments available until now.
“The news that tebentafusp is now available to hundreds of current and future NHS patients, just like me, is the best early Christmas present I could have asked for. While I know it is not a long-term cure, it has shrunk the tumor on my kidney and stabilized my cancer in my lungs, giving me precious time to spend with my family and loved ones.”
Jo Gumbs, CEO and founder of Ocular Melanoma UK, said: “Today’s announcement that tebentafusp will be available for people with metastatic uveal melanoma is simply incredible. For the first time, eligible patients with this condition will have access to an effective treatment, offering new hope in the fight against this rare cancer.”
Gumbs said the decision highlighted the power of collaboration between patients, advocates and medical experts.
“Importantly, this decision will give people hope and that cannot be underestimated,” she said. “For too long, metastatic uveal melanoma has been a devastating cancer, so we look forward to many more improvements in the future so that every patient has access to the treatments he or she needs.”